Craft beer’s high alcohol content putting unknowing drivers at risk
Craft beer is growing in popularity, but the trendy tipple is giving rise to an unexpected problem, police say. And they’re warning those who drink at microbreweries to be careful when considering getting behind the wheel.
South East
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Craft beer fans are putting their licences at risk because their favoured brews have a higher alcohol content.
Frankston police have warned aficionados to take care when imbibing at microbreweries —where beers can have alcohol percentages of 9-10 per cent — and wineries.
“I pulled over a bloke the other day who swore he’d only had one beer but he blew 0.043,” Frankston Sen Sgt Phil Hulley said. “I believe him when he said he only had one but people just have to be careful.”
Red Hill Brewery head brewer David Golding has several practices in place to ensure customers don’t drive over the limit.
“We will tell people what the percentage of the beer is when they order,” he said.
“We also restrict the glass size, for example we won’t serve a drink with a percentage of 7 per cent in a pint — instead we’ll serve the beer in a pot to reduce the standard drink size.”
Sen Sgt Hulley warned motorists to reconsider driving the morning after a heavy night of drinking.
“I pulled over a mother who blew 0.047 while she was driving her kids to the pictures,” he said.
“She’d had a big one the night before but she was very lucky we didn’t get her an hour or two earlier because she would’ve lost her licence.
“Our message to drivers would be to just not drink and drive under any circumstances, and if you’ve had a big night, wait until the afternoon until you get behind the wheel.”
The warnings come as 24 motorists were caught drink driving in the region during Operation Regal.
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The increased police presence on the Queen’s Birthday long weekend also netted 110 speeding and 10 drug-affected drivers.
The hardcore statewide police blitz on motorists was in response to a much higher than expected 2019 road toll.
There have been 147 people killed, compared to 95 at the same time last year.